corkage fees

[don1976]

I've spoken to NCL today and they've told me that all wine being brought aboard must be done at embarkation. You cannot replenish at the ports along the way.

That's a bit frustrating. We're on the Epic this Sunday from Barcelona. I was hoping to get a couple of bottles of local wine in each port as we make our way up the coast of Italy, but that's that idea put to bed.

Now we'll have to get it all in Barcelona. I assume the tactic by NCL is to encourage you not to bother, which I suppose is fair enough as they want you to spend money at the bar.

However, €15 corkage per bottle is 100% profit for them other than the provision of the glasses.

 

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[chisox021]

However, €15 corkage per bottle is 100% profit for them other than the provision of the glasses.

 

Exactly! While this is cheaper then two cocktails on board, it's just a way to get a few more bucks from you... Why not let the first 2 bottles be free, then anything over that charge for? Like other cruise lines? 30 bucks per stateroom won't make or break NCL, but it'll be a nice thing for Mr. and Mrs. Budget Cruiser....

[blackwing]

On other cruise lines, like RCCL, they do let you bring on two bottles for free. They only charge you corkage if you bring it unopened to the dining room and they uncork and serve it for you. If they want to drink on the balcony... no charge for those bottles. I have heard that many just open the bottle in their room and carry a large glass into the dining room with them. No corkage.

 

This almost certainly comes down to a simple "it's all 'bout the money" philosophy for Norwegian.

[roger001]

Shucks...Darn. That was not the case a while back. I've brought some on at a port stop and was given the choice to either pay corkage or let them keep it until end of cruise. Guess that has been a couple of years though.

[chisox021]

This:

 

This almost certainly comes down to a simple "it's all 'bout the money" philosophy for Norwegian.

 

Is 95% of that NCL is all about....

[KevintheIrishDJ]

On other cruise lines, like RCCL, they do let you bring on two bottles for free. They only charge you corkage if you bring it unopened to the dining room and they uncork and serve it for you. If they want to drink on the balcony... no charge for those bottles. I have heard that many just open the bottle in their room and carry a large glass into the dining room with them. No corkage.

 

This almost certainly comes down to a simple "it's all 'bout the money" philosophy for Norwegian.

 

Princess changed recently. Coorking fee applies to ALL bottles brought onboard.

[tiggrbaby]

So if I bring on my own bottles and pay the corkage fee, how does that work in the restaurants? Do I have to chill it in my room and drink the entire bottle at one meal? Will they take it for me and bring it out when requested? Will they store the unfinished portion for the next evening? I think I might feel weird walking around with a partial bottle of wine (just imagining taking a swig as I sit waiting for a show...).

[NMLady]

So if I bring on my own bottles and pay the corkage fee, how does that work in the restaurants? Do I have to chill it in my room and drink the entire bottle at one meal? Will they take it for me and bring it out when requested? Will they store the unfinished portion for the next evening? I think I might feel weird walking around with a partial bottle of wine (just imagining taking a swig as I sit waiting for a show...).

 

Just hand the bottle to the waiter and he/she will put it into a container of ice and pour as much or as little as you wish during the meal.

If you have wine left in the bottle at the end of the meal you can either take it back to your cabin or have them store it for you. If they store it they will give you a ticket so that you can give that ticket to any bar or restaurant and they'll retrieve it for you.

[lanabanana]

On other cruise lines, like RCCL, they do let you bring on two bottles for free. They only charge you corkage if you bring it unopened to the dining room and they uncork and serve it for you. If they want to drink on the balcony... no charge for those bottles. I have heard that many just open the bottle in their room and carry a large glass into the dining room with them. No corkage.

 

This almost certainly comes down to a simple "it's all 'bout the money" philosophy for Norwegian.

 

RCCL no longer charges a corkage fee on wine brought to the dining room. They allow 2 bottles/cabin to be brought onboard and you may drink them in your room, or they will serve them at dinner, with no fee. It's really nice!

[tiggrbaby]

Just hand the bottle to the waiter and he/she will put it into a container of ice and pour as much or as little as you wish during the meal.

If you have wine left in the bottle at the end of the meal you can either take it back to your cabin or have them store it for you. If they store it they will give you a ticket so that you can give that ticket to any bar or restaurant and they'll retrieve it for you.

 

Thanks for the info! That makes it much more convenient.

[tinkr2]

A corkage fee is not 100 percent profit. The corkage fee is done to offset you not purchasing their wine. Fine dining restaurants almost always charge it. That being said a corkage fee on NCL is great bc unlike RCL, you may bring as many bottles as you like on board.They will serve them to you at the table or at any bar.

If you are a wine drinker, the wine list is average at best. Yes it is marked up 3 times retail, 2.5 is average markup...so a little high.

The more expensive bottles are marked up a little less. We always bring on a few very nice bottles bc we are on a cruise and celebrating. Good champagne is a treat so we bring that on every cruise line.

To the original poster, if you are getting the UBP, there is quite a few glasses of wine available on the list.(all average swill:p). otherwise, bring on bottles you like and pay the 15.

[tinkr2]

RCCL no longer charges a corkage fee on wine brought to the dining room. They allow 2 bottles/cabin to be brought onboard and you may drink them in your room, or they will serve them at dinner, with no fee. It's really nice!

In December they were still charging the 15 corkage fee on Indy, when did this rule change? And is it still the 2 bottles?

[AquaMarineFerret]

I've spoken to NCL today and they've told me that all wine being brought aboard must be done at embarkation. You cannot replenish at the ports along the way.

 

Now that is very disappointing! Unless you read the wording very carefully that is not at all clear, so thanks for the clarification. It is all too easy to think of wine and champagne as being the exceptions in every case, and plan accordingly only to be caught out at the first port of call. That could prove very inconvenient for the flight home!

[Demonyte]

I've spoken to NCL today and they've told me that all wine being brought aboard must be done at embarkation. You cannot replenish at the ports along the way.

 

This is from only one customer service rep? I'm only asking as NCL's customer service reps are notorious for giving differing answers, so if you ask from three people, you'll often get at least two opposite answers. Also there is nothing reflecting this on NCL's website stating the policy of bringing wine onboard.

[don1976]

I Facebook messaged them and they told me to call them instead.

The policy is indeed a bit ambiguous, hence me contacting them. It's all very well potentially getting different opinions from different customer service guys, but who do you believe?

Surely the only way not to be caught out is to bring all the wine you're going to need at embarkation.

 

 

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[AquaMarineFerret]

This is from only one customer service rep? I'm only asking as NCL's customer service reps are notorious for giving differing answers, so if you ask from three people, you'll often get at least two opposite answers. Also there is nothing reflecting this on NCL's website stating the policy of bringing wine onboard.

 

I Facebook messaged them and they told me to call them instead.

The policy is indeed a bit ambiguous, hence me contacting them. It's all very well potentially getting different opinions from different customer service guys, but who do you believe?

Surely the only way not to be caught out is to bring all the wine you're going to need at embarkation.

 

 

It really depends on how much you read when looking into the FAQs on their site. For instance, from the following you would conclude that no alcohol of any kind can be brought aboard:

 

"What can't I bring onboard?

 

Passenger is not allowed to bring on board the vessel any alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages of any kind including water, soda and juices*, firearms, weapons of any kind, ammunition, explosive substances or any goods of a dangerous nature, nor animals of any kind, except service or guide animals, provided the passenger notifies Carrier prior to the cruise of his intention to bring such animal and agrees to take sole responsibility for any expense, damage, injuries or losses associated with or caused by such animal.

 

For more information read our FAQ about "Can I bring water or soda on board?".

 

Unsealed food items will not be allowed onboard."

 

However, if you read up on alcohol specifically:

 

"Can I bring alcohol on board?

 

All guests are prohibited from bringing alcohol on board our ships. Please note that with the exception of Wine and Champagne, all guests are prohibited from bringing alcohol on board our ships. If you purchase any alcohol at one of our ports-of-call or in our onboard shops, we will safely store your purchase(s) and either on the final night of the cruise or the morning of debarkation it will be available for pick up in a designated area.

 

Wine & Champagne Policy

 

Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below.

 

750 ml Bottle: $15.00 USD

 

1,500 ml Magnum: $30.00 USD

 

Wine or champagne sent directly to the ship by travel agents, friends, family, etc. or from another retail source, are subject to the same fees. Box wines are not allowed on board."

 

This offers a conflicting impression. It may be that it will depend on how an individual NCL rep has interpreted NCL's own text whether they make the differentiation between embarkation day and the ports of call even though wine/Champagne seems to have a separate policy.

[don1976]

 

This offers a conflicting impression. It may be that it will depend on how an individual NCL rep has interpreted NCL's own text whether they make the differentiation between embarkation day and the ports of call even though wine/Champagne seems to have a separate policy.

 

Precisely why I wanted to get something 'official' in writing from them via facebook to show anyone at dockside if I needed to. Unfortunately they just directed me to the customer service line.

[AquaMarineFerret]

Precisely why I wanted to get something 'official' in writing from them via facebook to show anyone at dockside if I needed to. Unfortunately they just directed me to the customer service line.

 

Nice try! I have sent my own query by email to the RD Team (who have been fairly helpful with our booking so far). I await developments with interest.

[navybankerteacher]

$15 a bottle. And it isn't really a "corkage" fee. It is a charge per bottle to bring them on board. After you have paid the fee at check in, you can do anything you wish, any where you wish with it.

 

Every ship I've sailed allowed a bottle (wine) or so per passenger to be consumed in the room without a corkage fee.

[NMLady]

Every ship I've sailed allowed a bottle (wine) or so per passenger to be consumed in the room without a corkage fee.

 

Are you talking about NCL ships?? Every NCL ship I've sailed on, for years and years, has always charged a corkage fee for EVERY bottle brought aboard, regardless of where you drink it.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

Just found out No 0ne will be allowed to bring wine onboard

[js]

Just found out No 0ne will be allowed to bring wine onboard

 

Even if we pay a corkage fee?

[meltingmoments]

Just found out No 0ne will be allowed to bring wine onboard

May I ask where this information came from?

We have received the email about the updated Beverage Policy, but that still clearly states that we can carry on wine, with the corkage fee of course.

[chisox021]

Just found out No 0ne will be allowed to bring wine onboard

 

Not True.. Just checked the NCL website and it still says you can bring wine on board....

 

https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/liquor-beverages

[AquaMarineFerret]

Hi,

This evening I received a response regarding the carrying on of wine/Champagne. It is not a clarification as such, since it is little more than a direction to the same FAQ page, but the inference is that the wine/Champagne policy is superseded by the 'ports of call clause'. Ie, as previously discussed, wine/Champagne for consumption may be brought aboard on Embarkation Day ONLY (and the $15 corkage charged). However, any alcohol that is brought aboard at ports of call (even wine/Champagne) will be held for collection we disembark.

 

I think that the personnel we direct questions to will opt for fall-back option 1: refer customers to the FAQ wherever possible, rather than answer themselves. It's safer to quote the official NCL-endorsed pages, no matter how ambiguous.

 

Here is the response:

 

"We are in receipt of your email in regards to our Wine/Champagne policy. Attached please refer to the link on our website that will give you detailed information.

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#can-i-bring-alcohol-board.

 

Note: Any bottles purchased at ports of call will be stored safely onboard and returned at the end of the cruise.

 

We thank you for the opportunity to respond and hope you enjoy your cruise."

 

So, although there is a separate wine/Champagne policy, these are treated as any other beverage at Ports of Call.